Gulfport, Miss – Two individuals have been extradited from South Africa and one from Canada in a case that includes defendants in California, Wisconsin, Indiana, and New York, to face charges on a nine-count federal indictment filed in the Southern District of Mississippi involving various internet fraud schemes, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis.

The case is alleged to have begun as early as 2001. The investigation was initiated in October, 2011 by Homeland Security Investigation agents in Gulfport after U.S. law enforcement officers were contacted by a female victim in Mississippi who was the target of a romance scam. The victim received a package in the mail requesting that she reship the merchandise to an address in Pretoria, South Africa. The investigation later revealed that the merchandise was purchased using stolen personal identity information and fraudulent credit card information of persons in the United States. Investigators have identified hundreds of victims of this scam in the United States, resulting in the loss of millions of U.S. dollars. Other schemes discovered by the investigation include advance check schemes where a victim receives a check and is asked to deposit it then send money by Western Union, MoneyGram or prepaid credit cards to another person, only to find out later the check is not valid.

An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, an indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty

INFORMATION FOR VICTIMS AFFECTED BY THE SCHEMES:

1. If you believe you were the victim of criminal fraud committed by any of the defendants, possibly using the below email addresses and/or names, please go to http://www.justice.gov/usao-sdms/scamsand complete the questionnaire.

The information you provide through the questionnaire regarding your experience may be helpful in the criminal investigation and prosecution of this case. A law enforcement agent may contact you with additional questions or to request documents you may have received or submitted during your dealings with these individuals. To access the questionnaire please go tohttp://www.justice.gov/usao-sdms/scamsand input the password scam.

Please note that submitting the questionnaire is NOT a substitute for consulting with your own attorney to determine what actions and remedies may be available to you through civil litigation.

3. If you have any questions related to this matter that are not addressed at the above websites, you may contact the government at the email address USAMSS.Scams@usdoj.gov.

The Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Postal Inspection Service are investigating this fraud. The case in Mississippi will be prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Annette Williams and Scott Gilbert, along with Robert Tully of the Organized Crime Gang Section.

The US Department of Justice has successfully extradited six Nigerians from South Africa to face charges of running a series of scams against gullible Americans over the past 14 years.

The six men, along with 14 other defendants resident in the US,face trialin Gulfport, Mississippi on nine federal charges, including conspiracy to commit identity theft, wire fraud, bank fraud, theft of US government funds, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Theindictment [PDF]states that since 2001 the accused, one of whom is 75 years old, were part of a string of scams against Americans, facilitated by internet communications. These include the longstanding 419 scheme, whereby a massive windfall is promised once a small number of payments have been provided, but the DoJ claims it went much further than that.

The team is also accused of running romance stings to bilk the lonely of funds, shipping fraud, running fake work-from-home businesses, check fraud, and plain-old hijacking of other people's bank accounts and credit cards to divert funds.

Almost none of the amounts of money scammed were more than four-figure sums, according to the indictment, but those add up over the years. It's estimated that billions of dollars have been shipped overseas to the African subcontinent by various organized criminal gangs over the past couple of decades.

The DoJ is still waiting for four more of the alleged team at the Nigerian end of the operation to finish the extradition process. Two more, Gabriel Oludare Adeniran and Oduntan Sikiru Lawani, remain on the run. ®

Six Nigerian Nationals Extradited from South Africa to Mississippi to Face Fraud Charges

Six Nigerian nationals were extradited from South Africa to Gulfport, Mississippi, to face a nine-count federal indictment in the Southern District of Mississippi alleging various Internet fraud schemes. A total of 20 defendants are charged in this case.

Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis of the Southern District of Mississippi made the announcement.

According to the allegations in the indictment, from as early as 2001, the defendants identified and solicited potential victims through online dating websites and work-at-home opportunities. In some instances, the defendants allegedly carried on fictitious online romantic relationships with victims for the purpose of using the victims to further certain objectives of the conspiracy. For example, the indictment alleges that the defendants convinced victims to ship and receive merchandise purchased with stolen personal identifying information (PII) and compromised credit card and banking information, to deposit counterfeit checks, and to transfer proceeds of the conspiracy via wire, U.S. mail or express delivery services.

The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Significant assistance was also provided by the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs, the HSI Cyber Crimes Center, HSI Attachés in Pretoria and Dakar, U.S. Marshals Service’s International Investigations Branch and the Southern District of Mississippi, the South African Police Service (SAPS) Directorate of Priority Crimes Investigation (DPCI) Electronic Crimes Unit, the SAPS Interpol Extradition Unit, the South African National Prosecution Authority, and the South African Department of Justice and Constitutional Development. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Robert Tully of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Annette Williams and Scott Gilbert of the Southern District of Mississippi.

Gulfport, Miss – A ninth Nigerian national has been extradited from South Africa to face charges on a nine-count federal indictment filed in the Southern District of Mississippi involving various internet fraud schemes, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis. Previously one South African was extradited from South Africa and an additional Nigerian from Canada.

Gabriel Oludare Adeniran, 30, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert H. Walker in Gulfport on Monday for arraignment on two counts of conspiracy to commit mail, wire and bank fraud, as well as identity theft, access device fraud and theft of government funds, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

This case is set for trial on January 17, 2017. Adeniran faces a maximum penalty of 55 years in prison on the charges.

The indictment in this case alleges a West African transnational organized crime enterprise involved in numerous complex financial fraud schemes over the internet. This mass marketing fraud includes romance scams, re-shipping scams, fraudulent check scams and work-at-home scams, along with bank, financial and credit card account take-overs. Potential victims can find information and a claim form on the website for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi at: http://www.justice.gov/usao/mss/scams.

The Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Postal Inspection Service are investigating this fraud. The case in Mississippi will be prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Annette Williams, along with Conor Mulroe of the Organized Crime Gang Section and Peter Roman of the Computer Crimes Intellectual Property Section.

An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, an indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Three Nigerian nationals, who in July 2015 were extradited from South Africa to the Southern District of Mississippi, were convicted today by a federal jury for their wide-ranging Internet fraud schemes.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis of the Southern District of Mississippi made the announcement.

Oladimeji Seun Ayelotan, 30, was convicted of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, and bank fraud, conspiracy to commit identity theft, access device fraud, and theft of U.S. government funds, two counts of mail fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Ayelotan faces up to 95 years in prison. Rasaq Aderoju Raheem, 31 was convicted of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, and bank fraud, conspiracy to commit identity theft, access device fraud, and theft of U.S. government funds, three counts of mail fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Raheem faces up to 115 years in prison. Femi Alexander Mewase, 45, was convicted of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit identity theft, access device fraud, and theft of U.S. government funds. Mewase faces up to 25 years in prison. Sentencing for all three is set for May 24 in the Southern District of Mississippi.

According to trial testimony and evidence presented in the three-week trial, the defendants participated in numerous complex Internet-based financial fraud schemes, including romance scams, re-shipping scams, fraudulent check scams, and work-at-home scams, as well as bank, financial, and credit card account takeovers.From as early as 2001, the defendants identified and solicited potential victims through online dating websites and work-at-home opportunities. In some instances, the defendants carried on fictitious online romantic relationships with victims for the purpose of using the victims to further objectives of the conspiracy. For example, the defendants convinced victims to ship and receive merchandise purchased with stolen personal identifying information (PII) and compromised credit card and banking information, to deposit counterfeit checks, to withdraw money from fraudulent pre-paid debit cards that were loaded with money from stolen credit cards and to transfer proceeds of the conspiracy via wire, U.S. mail, or express delivery services.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’sHomeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Significant assistance was also provided by the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs, the HSI Cyber Crimes Center, HSI Attachés in Pretoria, South Africa and Dakar, Senegal, the U.S. Marshals Service’s International Investigations Branch and the Southern District of Mississippi District Office, the South African Police Service (SAPS) Directorate of Priority Crimes Investigation (DPCI) Electronic Crimes Unit, the SAPS Interpol Extradition Unit, the South African National Prosecution Authority and the South African Department of Justice and Constitutional Development. Trial Attorney Conor Mulroe of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, Senior Counsel Peter Roman of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Annette Williams of the Southern District of Mississippi tried the case.

If you believe that you may have been a victim of criminal fraud committed by any of the defendants, please go tohttp://www.justice.gov/usao-sdms/scamsand complete the questionnaire. Defendants allegedly used the following email addresses and names to perpetuate the scheme:

Any information that you provide through the questionnaire may be helpful in the criminal investigation and prosecution of this case. A federal investigator may contact you with additional questions or to request documents you may have. Please note that submitting the questionnaire is not a substitute for consulting with your own attorney to determine what actions and remedies may be available to you through civil litigation. If you have any questions related to this matter that are not addressed at the above websites, you may contact federal law enforcement authorities atUSAMSS.Scams@usdoj.gov.

well it is now sentencing time.... 3 of them got a total of over 200 years in prison... Sadly they will likely get out in half to 1/3 of the time they are sentenced to just for automatic "good behavior".

Three Nigerians Sentenced in International Cyber Financial Fraud Scheme

Three Nigerian nationals, who were extradited from South Africa to the Southern District of Mississippi in July 2015, were sentenced to prison this week for their roles in a large-scale international fraud network.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco, Acting U.S. Attorney Harold Brittain of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Raymond R. Parmer Jr. of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in New Orleans made the announcement.

Oladimeji Seun Ayelotan, 30, was sentenced to 95 years in prison. Rasaq Aderoju Raheem, 31, was sentenced to 115 years in prison. Femi Alexander Mewase, 45, was sentenced to 25 years in prison. After a three-week trial in early 2017, a federal jury found each defendant guilty of offenses involving mail fraud, wire fraud, identity theft, credit card fraud and theft of government property. Ayelotan and Raheem were also found guilty of conspiracies to commit bank fraud and money laundering.

A total of 21 defendants were charged in this case, 12 of whom have pleaded guilty to charges related to the conspiracy, and 11 of whom have been sentenced to date. One of the leaders of the conspiracy, Teslim Olarewaju Kiriji, 30, of Nigeria was previously sentenced to 20 years in prison. Six other defendants were previously sentenced to 10 years in prison each for their roles in this conspiracy: Adekunle Adefila, 41, of Nigeria; Anuoluwapo Segun Adegbemigun, 40, of Nigeria; Gabriel Oludare Adeniran, 30, of Nigeria; Olufemi Obaro Omoraka, 27, of Nigeria; Taofeeq Olamilekan Oyelade, 32, of Nigeria; and Olusegun Seyi Shonekan, 34, of Nigeria. Genoveva Farfan, 45, of California,was sentenced to 9 years in prison, and Rhulane Fionah Hlungwane, 26, of South Africa, to five years in prison for their roles in the conspiracy.

Olutoyin Ogunlade, 41, of New York, was sentenced to four years in prison. Dennis Brian Ladden, 75, of Wisconsin was sentenced to time served and six months’ home confinement. Susan Anne Villeneuve, 61, of California, pleaded guilty earlier this month and is awaiting sentencing.

According to the plea agreements and evidence at trial, the defendants and their co-conspirators carried out numerous internet-based fraud schemes dating back at least to 2001. These schemes involved using unsuspecting victims to cash counterfeit checks and money orders, using stolen credit card numbers to purchase electronics and other merchandise and using stolen personal identification information to take over victims’ bank accounts. As a whole, the conspiracy involved tens of millions of dollars in intended losses.

To accomplish their fraud schemes, the conspirators recruited the assistance of U.S. citizens via “romance scams,” in which the perpetrator would typically use a false identity on a dating website to establish a romantic relationship with an unsuspecting victim. According to trial evidence and plea documents, once the perpetrator gained the victim’s trust and affection, the perpetrator would convince the victim to either send money or to help carry out fraud schemes. For example, the defendants admitted that they used romance victims to launder money via Western Union and MoneyGram, to re-package and re-ship fraudulently obtained merchandise and to cash counterfeit checks.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’sHomeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Significant assistance was also provided by the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs, the HSI Cyber Crimes Center, HSI Attachés in Pretoria, South Africa and Dakar, Senegal, the U.S. Marshals Service’s International Investigations Branch and the Southern District of Mississippi District Office, the South African Police Service (SAPS) Directorate of Priority Crimes Investigation (DPCI) Electronic Crimes Unit, the SAPS Interpol Extradition Unit, the South African National Prosecution Authority and the South African Department of Justice and Constitutional Development. Trial Attorney Conor Mulroe of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, Senior Counsel Peter Roman of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Annette Williams of the Southern District of Mississippi tried the case.

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I've cut off the email address list and other info below it due to the fact it is already posted in this topic.